Simple solution turns 3D TV glasses incompatibility on its head

By wearing opposing brands' active shutter 3D glasses upside down, viewers can still get the full benefits from Panasonic and Samsung 3D TVs

Although 3D TV manufacturers are playing nicely by agreeing to a standard 3D Blu-ray format, they’ve unfortunately clung to their proprietary ways for active shutter glasses needed to view 3D TV images. This means anyone who shells out for a new 3D TV isn’t able to take their glasses to a friend’s home to watch their 3D TV unless it is the same brand. But the folks at Home Cinema Choice have stumbled across an easy – albeit less than comfortable – solution. Just turn the glasses upside down.

On the surface it appears that the Samsung and Panasonic 3D glasses are officially incompatible, but in reality the lenses in the glasses are simply reversed by the two brands. This means that wearing a pair of Samsung glasses upside down makes it possible to watch 3D content on a Panasonic 3D set, and vice-versa – although it’s not clear if the upside down trick works with other brand TVs.

Samsung R&D chief Simon Lee confirmed the Samsung/Panasonic reversibility workaround to Home Cinema Choice, but offered hope for viewers not wanting to go to such unfashionable lengths, saying that, “I think that it’s likely that the different manufacturers will come together, possibly as early as next year, to agree a common standard for Active Shutter glasses.” Possibly something that should have been ironed out along with the 3D standard, but better late than never.

While we wait for the manufacturers to sort things out or for the release of universal 3D glasses, anyone not wanting to look completely stupid watching a 3D TV wearing his or her glasses upside down can always take the option of turning the TV upside down instead.